Uncoupling device



F. FRENCH.

IUNCOUPLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.25. I914.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

K JHHH; 72

THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. 1

To" all whom Mindy concern? UNITED STATES PATENT oF roE. I

FREMONT FRENCH, 0F BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOSEPH J". KIBBLE AND ONE-THIRD TO EDWARD C. HUDSON, 0F BELLINGH AM,

WASHINGTON.

UNCOUPLING DEVICE.

Be it known that I, FREMONT FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellingham, in the county of Whatcom and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Uncoupling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to uncoupling devices for car couplers, and one of the objects in view is to provide means applicable by a trainman to release a coupler without liability to injury and to permit free use of the hand or lantern for signal-- ing during the operation of uncoupling and immediately after an uncoupling operation.

A further object of the invention is to apply a coupling means on and exteriorly of a coupler and which is readily and positively applicable to facilitate starting and releasing of thecontrolling locking means of the coupler.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a coupler means for car couplers which can be used on all classes of railroad cars and does not come in contact with the buffer used on passenger cars; one which will follow the motion given to the coupler when the train is in motion without liability of breaking the uncoupling means, as well as one which is independent from the coupler and can be applied and operated from either side of the car or coach, as well as being applicable to a coupler having a top, side or bottom lift for the coupler pin.

With the above and other objects in view, the improvement resides in the construc tion, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claim. I

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an end view of a portion of a passenger car provided with a coupler, and illustrating the uncoupling means constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention, and Fig. 2 1s a top plan view of the improvement.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates the end of an ordinary passenger coach, 2 the steps leading to the coach and 3 a coupler head arranged upon the coach. Secured to the end sill of the coach is adepending plate or bracket 4: which is adapted to receive a pivot 5 which centrally connects a link 6 to the bracket.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 25, 1914; Serial no. 853,439.

Patented Aplud,

erm; has bothbf its naStmvidea with openings, the upper one of which receiving the pivot of a bail 7, the eye of the bail be- 1ng connected with one of the links of a flexible member in the nature of a chainS. This chain 8 is retained slack and is con nected with the operating member 9 of the coupling pin of the draw head 3. Connected with one of the links of the chain 8 is a depending link 10 which receives the hooked end 11 of a longitudinally extending rod 12. This rod is arranged within a bracket 13 that is secured to one of the side boards of one of the steps 2 and the end of said rod beyond the eye 13 is crooked to provide a hand hold 14. The opening or eye in the lower portion of the link 6 has arranged therein the hooked end 15 of the longitudinally extending rod 16, the said rod passlng through a bracket 17 provided upon the outer side board of the second step 2, and the rod 16 has its end crooked to provide a hand held 18. It will be noted that the operating rods are arranged one above the other, neither of the same interfering with the coupler. Both of the said rods are disposed to the opposite sides of the car being arranged in bearings within the side boards so that either of the rods may be operated from the sides of the car without necessitating the operator going between the sills of the adiacent cars for uncoupling, and so the liability of danger is entirely overcome. tween the operating rods and the coupling means permit either of the said rods being operated independent of the other, and the uncoupling means cannot be accidentally operated.

The coupling pin 9 is pivoted so that the same will have its operating arm swung upwardly to uncouple the draw head 3. It will be apparent that by changing the fulcrum of the levers to the position illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the device can be readily applied to a coupler wherein the member 9 is to be moved in a downward direction in operating the mechanism which operates the uncoupling of the draw head.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

The combination with a car end and a coupler head provided with a coupler pin and a member for operating the said pin, of oppositely arranged longitudinally extend- Also the flexible connection be-" ing operating bars mounted in brackets hav- "connection'with the'end of the long arm of 1 ing their ends provided with handles which said lever.

, arearranged to the opposite sides of the lntestimony'WhereOfIJafliX mysignature ear, a lever pivoted soes to haven; longand" ingpresenee of' witnesses. I

short arm, a flexible connection between the FREMONT'FRENCH. short arm of the lever and said member, one -Witnesses: of said bars having one end loosely connect- H. B. Fox, edito .anintermediate portion o'f'said ele- J.'S. TRUITT, ment, t other o d-bareh ving a flexible E. S ANLEY PIPER.

gopies 0;. this patent may be obtained iorwflvej cents each, by addressing the (Commissioner ofml'atents, weshinzt n lJ- fl 7 

